Affiliations

Associate Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics

Co-Director, Tumor Immunology Program, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center

Member, Eli & Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine & Stem Cell Research, Immunity, Microbes & Molecular Pathogenesis GPB Home Area, Molecular Biology Institute, Molecular Pharmacology GPB Home Area

Dr. Yvonne Chen is an Associate Professor of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics at the University of California, Los Angeles. Prior to joining UCLA in 2013, Dr. Chen was a Junior Fellow in the Harvard Society of Fellows. She received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University and her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology. She performed postdoctoral research at the Seattle Children’s Research Institute and the Department of Systems Biology at Harvard Medical School. The Chen lab’s work on engineering next-generation T-cell therapies for cancer has been recognized by the NIH Director’s Early Independence Award, the NSF CAREER Award, the Hellman Fellowship, the ACGT Young Investigator Award in Cell and Gene Therapy for Cancer, the Mark Foundation Emerging Leader Award, and the Cancer Research Institute Lloyd J. Old STAR Award. Dr. Chen is also a Member Researcher in the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.

The Chen Laboratory is focused on applying synthetic biology and biomolecular engineering techniques to develop robust cell-based therapies for otherwise intractable diseases. We are particularly interested in engineering multi-functional T cells that can accurately identify and effectively eliminate tumor cells, in part by overcoming the various defense mechanisms associated with cancers and their microenvironments. Bispecific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells developed in our laboratory is being tested in the clinic, and current projects include the development of next-generation CAR-T cells with enhanced specificity, reduced toxicity, and the ability to overcome tumor-associated immunosuppression.

Prof. Yvonne Chen's research focuses on applying synthetic biology and biomolecular engineering techniques to the development of robust cell-based immunotherapy for cancer, particularly T cells expressing tumor-targeting chimeric antigen receptors. She received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University and her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering form the California Institute of Technology. Yvonne was a Junior Fellow at the Harvard Society of Fellows prior to joining UCLA in 2013. The Chen Laboratory's work on engineering next-generation T-cell therapy for cancer has been recognized by the NIH Director’s Early Independence Award, NSF CAREER Award, the ACGT New Investigator Award in Cell and Gene Therapy for Cancer, the Mark Foundation Emerging Leader Award, and the Cancer Research Institute Lloyd J. Old STAR Award.

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